The present invention relates to a door module for a motor vehicle door, to a motor vehicle door and to a method for connecting a door module to a door structure.
A door module of said type of a motor vehicle door comprises a module carrier which is formed substantially by organic sheet, and at least one functional element, in particular in the form of a guide rail of a motor vehicle window regulator, which is arranged on the module carrier. In the organic sheet of the module carrier there is integrally formed a channel which—in relation to the intended installed state of the door module in the motor vehicle door—extends at least with a directional component along the vehicle longitudinal axis. The channel has an insertion opening running along its direction of extent. The at least one functional element crosses the channel, and also the longitudinally extending insertion opening thereof, and thus at least partially covers the insertion opening. A reinforcement element of the motor vehicle door can be inserted into the channel via the insertion opening.
The fact that the module carrier is formed substantially by organic sheet means in this case that the organic sheet forms that part of the module carrier which is subjected to the major part of the forces that act under normal operating conditions. This may be in particular that part of the module carrier on which one or more guide rails of a window regulator are provided. A (coherent) part (which for example bears one or more guide rails) of the module carrier composed of organic sheet, or multiple parts (which for example bear one or more guide rails) of the module carrier composed of organic sheet extend for example over approximately 30% or more of the area of the module carrier. In particular, the organic sheet may extend over more than 40% and generally over at least 50% of the area of the module carrier, such that the organic sheet thus also makes up a corresponding fraction of more than 40% or approximately 50% or more of the surface of the module carrier. To fully utilize the strength advantages of the organic sheet, it is generally sought to maximize the fraction of the area of the module carrier made up by the organic sheet. A multi-part form of the organic sheet on a module carrier is not ruled out here.
A main constituent part of the module carrier is for example a panel-like semifinished part, which is composed of an organic sheet. Organic sheet involves a thermoplastics material reinforced with endless fibers, wherein the endless fibers are embedded in the form of lays, wovens or knits composed of glass fibers, Kevlar fibers, carbon fibers or plastics fibers into a thermoplastics matrix. A suitable thermoplastics material for the matrix is for example polyamide owing to its good adhesion characteristics with respect to the fibers.
The expression “reinforced with endless fibers” is to be understood to mean that the length of the fibers used for the reinforcement is limited substantially by the size of the panel-like organic sheet. Generally, a fiber has no discontinuities within the organic sheet.
Thus, the organic sheet duly forms a main constituent part of the module carrier though may be supplemented by further materials. For example, metallic elements and/or various plastics elements may be incorporated into the organic sheet or attached to the organic sheet.
DE 100 52 739 A1 has disclosed a module carrier which has an aperture in which a reinforcement element can be received. The module carrier is in this case of rigid form. The reinforcement element must, in order to be received in the aperture, be inserted into said aperture in an accurately fitting manner. The fixing of guide rails of a motor vehicle window regulator to the module carrier can be performed only after the reinforcement element has been received in the aperture.